


Falling From Grace

by TwoCrows



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Blood, Disaster, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Pre-Canon, Science and Faith, Symbolism, Temptation, Terrorism, Tragedy, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-08-23 15:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16621220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoCrows/pseuds/TwoCrows
Summary: Adam, the person she loved, had suddenly been torn away from her life.How do you go on, when all that is left is a terrible silence and you know that the emptiness in your heart will never be filled?





	1. The Forbidden Fruit

**Author's Note:**

> First of all: This story is based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Manga and I strongly recommend you to read that first.
> 
> I was really surprised to be the first one to write something about them as they are absolutely amazing characters.  
> Feel free to leave your thoughts, remarks and criticism in the comments below. Please enjoy!

Eve screamed as his face disappeared in the blinding light.  
“Stop! Adam, stop it!” she shouted, desperately reaching out to him.  
But she reached out in vain.  
“I’m sorry, Eve”, his last words echoed through the room.  
And then there was only silence.  
“No. No. No No No No!”  
She reached into the device where he had just been, only moments before. She tried to touch him, tried to pull him back into this world where she could see him, but her hands only grasped empty space.  
For a moment she barely stood there, frozen in time. Then she collapsed to her knees and hugged herself, tears streaming over her face.  
“Adam… Adam… Where are you, Adam? Please come back!”  
Unable to fight back the uncontainable sadness, she broke down and cried.  
So lonely… She felt so horribly lonely! Adam…  
He was gone.  
Always he had been there for her. When they were still hiding in the slums of their war-torn country. When they had fled to the only safe haven they knew of. When they had tried to find the solution that could bring peace to this world. He had always been by her side.  
And now… he was gone.  
He vanished in that same light they had all set their hopes on.  
Why did he do this? Why couldn’t he have let her conduct this experiment in his place?  
Why did he have to be this damn selfless?!  
And now he was gone and she was alone.  
Suddenly the door opened with a swish and someone burst into the room.  
“Adam! Adam, what…?”  
The man stopped when he noticed Eve sitting on the floor, looking at him with teary eyes.  
“Eve… What happened? This… This light… Where is Adam?”  
She lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.  
“He… He’s gone”, she muttered, her voice quivering with pain.  
“But… why?”  
“I don’t know”, she replied weakly. “All I know is that we’ve made a terrible mistake.”  
She heard his footsteps coming closer, until he knelt down, putting an arm around her shaking body, and stroked her comfortingly.  
“Oh, Eve…”  
She wanted to thank him for his kindness, but no word passed her lips. The pain was sitting too deep. That terrible wound that gaped in her heart, almost tearing her apart.  
“Please don’t go away, Isaac”, she said, her voice hardly more than a whisper. “Please don’t leave me as well.” 

* * *

The military fighters passed over her head, the whole room vibrating from their roar. Only a faint hint of daylight seeped through the tightly closed curtains and fell on Eve who was limply lying on the bed.  
Since Adam was gone, she had scarcely left her room, too tired to continue their research, too sad to find solace in the company of other people.  
Isaac brought her food, but she left it mostly untouched.  
She knew he was worried about her. She knew she should be worried about her condition as well. But this yawning emptiness inside her…  
Without Adam… Without the person she loved, this life felt meaningless to her. This whole goddamn world with its endless conflicts was meaningless.  
They had tried to stop it, tried to bring peace, and now Adam was gone.  
She couldn’t even remember why they had wanted to end these wars in the first place. People were going to die, with or without war. It appeared death was the only constant in life, the only parameter that couldn’t be changed.  
More fighters flew above her and she listened as the roar of their engines faded in the distance. She had feared this sound, more than anything else, in a time that seemed ages ago. When the noise of the fighters was followed by the terror of falling bombs and cries of lamentation…

* * *

After the horrible series of explosions ended, Eve ran out of the tiny flat.  
“Adam!” she screamed in panic. “Adam! Where are you?!”  
With a fearfully pounding heart she glanced around.  
The street looked like an expanse of ruins. One of the bombs must have hit a house at the end, for it and the neighbouring buildings were entirely destroyed. People were scuffling everywhere, looking for their families or trying to help the wounded.  
She could see many bodies on the ground, some crushed under debris, others with strangely angled limbs, apparently killed by the shockwave.  
Finally she spotted Adam in the middle of the chaos. He came running towards her, holding a little child in his arms.  
“Adam!”  
“Eve! Thank goodness you’re alright!”  
She flung her arms around him and cried tears of relief. Adam smiled briefly, but then he looked at the child in his arms and his expression turned serious.  
“Who is he?” Eve asked, carefully examining the boy.  
“I don’t know. I found him over there”, Adam said and looked over to the destroyed building.  
“There was nobody around him. Maybe he got lost when the bomb hit.”  
Eve gave the poor boy a sympathetic glance. He was sobbing quietly and his face expressed confusion and fear.  
“Mom? Where is mom?” he asked with a scared voice. “What is going on here?”  
Eve bent down to him and stroked over his head.  
“Hey big guy, what is your name?”  
He stared at her, too frightened to answer.  
“I’m Eve” she said friendly and pointed at herself. “And who are you?”  
“Caspar”, the boy muttered after a few seconds.  
“Okay, Caspar. We are going to find your mother again, but for now please come with us. We’ll take care of you.”  
Caspar stared at her with large eyes. Then he nodded.  
She and Adam brought him into the house they had been staying at. Although it was cramped with five people per room, it was impossible to find anything better unless you were really rich.  
There were just too many refugees coming here. This city served as a supply base for the army and was said to be invincible, but the enemy’s approach had not been stopped and now their bombers were even attacking this place.  
Eve wondered how it was supposed to go on. It appeared war was following them wherever they went. They had lost their home, their families and their friends. Now all that was left to them was to run. Run in the delusive hope to find a place where they could be safe.  
_No_ , she thought with a glance at the boy who was stuffing himself with a piece of bread they had been able to find. For his sake she mustn’t give up so easily. When she imagined telling this little child it was hopeless, she felt a serious stab in her heart.  
No. She was going to get this boy to safety, even if it cost her own life. 


	2. Exodus

The violent heat was weighing down at them without mercy. Caspar was already too exhausted to walk, so Eve and Adam took turns in carrying him.  
They had decided to leave the city and take on the arduous journey through the hot, dry wasteland. After the attack, many refugees had decided to and so there was a good chance they’d meet Caspar’s mother on the way.  
They had joined a caravan that travelled to the west where the only hope for safety lied. The biggest problem was the water. Although they had cut down their rations, the caravan was running out of supplies. If they didn’t find a spring or something else soon to refill them, they wouldn’t be able to make it.  
Eve sent a look over her shoulder to the boy who was asleep on her back.  
She felt her heart growing warm whenever she looked at him. She didn’t know if she was going to have children of her own someday, but she imagined it to be similar to taking care of him.  
With a faint blush on her cheeks she wondered if Adam had thought about this too.  
Probably he hadn’t.  
He was always so focused on the here and now that he tended to be oblivious to the future, but this was a quality that didn’t diminish her love for him.  
Suddenly she heard a shout and the people in front of them stopped. Adam gave her a discomforted glance and they advanced to the front of the caravan.  
To their surprise they found two land rovers and a group of seven or eight men in uniforms, armed with machine guns. Their bearded leader was apparently arguing with the head of the refugees, a grey-haired man who was in his late sixties.  
Eve and Adam slipped closer until they could understand what they were saying.  
“We know that this area is dangerous. But it is the only way that leads to Eden.”  
“Didn’t you understand what I said, old man?” the leader asked upset.  
“There are a few gangs of bandits roaming this area. The other day we’ve found a group that tried to cross the desert without help. All of them have been killed and their belongings have been raided. You’ll need our help if you want to reach Eden alive.”  
The grey-haired man frowned.  
“That may be. But we don’t have enough to pay the fee that you demand.”  
The bearded mercenary gave him a thin-lipped smile.  
“Then leave some of these maggots here. They’d die on the journey anyway.”  
He let out a surprised cough when the older man suddenly grabbed his collar and glared angrily at his face.  
“I have suffered the bombardment of Haven with these people. We have walked the entire way here together and you are asking me to abandon them? To just leave them to die?! You… You are not better than these bandits you’ve been talking about.”  
Eve felt Caspar stirring on her back and started to rock him soothingly.  
“Hey, old man”, the leader growled, his voice dangerously calm. With one hand he had drawn a pistol from his holster and pressed it against the grey-haired man’s chest. Slowly he took the man’s hands and removed them from his collar.  
“Be careful what you are saying. To be honest I don’t want to waste a bullet on filthy scum like you.”  
Next to her Adam made a move and stepped towards them.  
“Please don’t be angry at him”, he said in a defusing tone. “These people have been walking for days in this terrible heat. They are hungry and thirsty and are lacking rest.”  
He put a hand on the gun and pressed it down gently. For a moment the leader looked like he was going to resist, but then he calmed down and put away his gun.  
“Alright, alright”, he muttered, although he was clearly not satisfied. “If you are so keen on keeping your sheep together, then try your luck.”  
When he turned around and wanted to get back on the car, Adam stopped him with a brief touch on his shoulder.  
“Excuse me”, he said friendly. “We are running short on water right now. Would you have the kindness to tell us where we can refill our supplies?”  
The man hesitated at first, but then he shrugged.  
“But only because it’s you”, he grunted. “There’s a small brook to the south-west, maybe half a day by foot.”  
Adam thanked him with a grateful smile, the man returned to his vehicle and two minutes later the two land rovers disappeared in the distance.  
“I guess I have to thank you for your help, young friend”, the grey-haired man said and offered Adam his hand.  
“My name is Balthazar. I am pleased to meet you.”  
Tentatively, Adam took the hand and replied: “Adam. It’s a pleasure for me as well.”  
“So?” Eve asked and stepped to them. “Are we going to that brook he told us about?”  
Adam drew in a deep breath.  
“Of course not”, he replied after a moment. “You have seen these guys. I think it is highly probable that they are bandits themselves or at least are working together with some.”  
“So you asked him for a place where we could find water on purpose?” Balthazar asked.  
“Right. Now they are going to assume we’ll be taking this way. I’m sure right now they are making preparations to raid us when we get there. So if we go to the north-west instead, with a bit of luck we might pass this area unharmed.”  
“But Adam, our water supplies…” Eve interjected.  
He nodded.  
“I know, but this is something we’ll have to endure. I am convinced that this way will provide us with the highest chance of survival.”  
They all thought about it for a while. Finally Balthazar hummed.  
“I agree with your assessment. We’ll take the path to the north and hope that we’ll find water before we die of thirst.”  
He turned away to tell the others about the decision.  
“Do you think this is wise, Adam?” she whispered.  
Adam glanced at her with tired eyes, then he let out a sigh.  
“What is wise, Eve? I’m just trying to get us through this wasteland alive.” 

* * *

It was one of the rare times when Eve had the strength to get up. As she wandered through the corridors of the facility, she noticed it was less noisy than she remembered. She didn’t even meet anybody.  
Probably it was in the middle of the night, but she didn’t care about that anymore. No, it even was better if no one saw her.  
She pressed a button and the door to the laboratory opened. After a moment the lamps flickered to life, revealing the apparatus that had taken Adam from her.  
She felt a stab in her heart and averted her gaze from it, turning to the small pedestal in the back of the room instead.  
There were several surveillance systems installed in it, though Eve couldn’t stop herself from thinking how ridiculous that was. Since the experiment it hadn’t shown any sign of live, just a petty leftover from the vast energy they had sought to control.  
And yet, she had the feeling it was waiting. Patient for the day when it could awaken again.  
She stepped closer and looked down at the card.  
Slowly she reached out to it, then suddenly her eyes widened and her hand froze. Hastily she gazed at the screen above her, let her eyes wander above the different tables and graphs.  
Nothing.  
But still, she sensed a slight pulse coming from the card.  
“So you are alive after all”, she muttered grimly.  
Only silence followed her words.  
“Are you satisfied now?” Eve asked, biting her lip in an attempt to hold back her tears.  
“Are you… Are you satisfied with taking away my love?”  
When she still didn’t get a reply, she slammed both of her fists on the pedestal.  
“Answer me, goddamn thing!”  
She found herself almost being washed away by the flood of memories she had tried to suppress for so long.  
The shock they had felt when they discovered this energy for the first time. Their hope and confidence they could control it somehow and use it to guide mankind to peace. The countless hours of work and research until Adam had made a breakthrough. Her anxiety when he revealed he was going to utilise his own body.  
Nevertheless they continued the experiment. The risks they would be taking were insignificant compared to the potential use for mankind, or so they thought.  
Now, Eve was unable to comprehend this way of thinking. Why had they deemed mankind so much more valuable than their own lives?  
Now that Adam was gone, she’d gladly hand over everyone else to get him back.  
But it was hopeless.  
Why? Why hadn’t they stopped when they still had the chance? Why did they have to discover this energy in the first place?  
“That’s… That’s right. All of this is your fault!” she shouted angrily, taking the card from its socket.  
When she was about to rip it to pieces, Adam’s face suddenly flashed before her eyes.  
“Adam… Adam, why?” she muttered.  
Limply she slumped to the ground and burst into violent sobs, no longer able to withstand the overwhelming feeling of sadness. 

* * *

Adam’s hunch had been correct. They didn’t meet any bandits on their way, nor any other humans.  
Nevertheless it was a draining march.  
As soon as the sun had set, the temperatures had fallen rapidly and the solid ground had given way to a more sandy ground. And they still hadn’t found any water.  
Adam and Eve had left the last sips to Caspar. He was weaker than they were and he had grown disturbingly thin during the journey.  
Eve hoped they’d reach Eden within a few days.  
She glanced at Adam who was walking in front of her, carrying the few things they called their possessions.  
It was ridiculous. Their home had been destroyed and they had left everything else behind. To be honest, Eve wasn’t even sure why they were trying to flee. Even if they survived and reached Eden, they’d start with nothing. Nevertheless she kept going, because Adam kept going.  
She still was wondering what it was that gave him strength. He didn’t hesitate or complain, although his legs must have felt as leaden as hers did.  
Eventually the sun rose, but they marched on until the early noon, before they made a rest. Exhausted, they shared the last remains of provisions they had, before falling asleep on the spot.  
In the evening they continued, trying to avoid walking in the hottest time of the day. According to Balthazar they’d reach the sea of Neret at the end of the next day. They had to cross it to get to Eden and they also could fill up their water supplies there.  
Eve had asked the man if he had already been in Eden and he told her that he had worked as a merchant and travelled often through the lands. But when he grew older, he had decided to settle down in Haven and live on a small shop he opened there. Although that was before the war, he added.  
When she asked him if he had a wife or children, he got flustered and stammered awkwardly it just didn’t arise.  
With a glance at Caspar the old man had replied pertly that she apparently had more luck with this.  
Eve could’ve sworn her face got as red as a tomato and she hastily explained that Caspar wasn’t her son and that she and Adam were in search of his mother.  
She didn’t know why, but despite the grave situation that friendly old man with his kind smile managed to cheer up her mood. She wondered why there couldn’t be more people like him. If there were, they’d be less injustice, less conflict, less war in this world.  
In the afternoon they heard the first excited shouts. The group was climbing a little hill and the first ones were able to see the glisten of the sea in the distance. When Eve reached the top as well, she was simply overwhelmed by the sight. It was a huge water, its surface set ablaze by the setting sun.  
She had seen the ocean before, but never before it had made her feel so blissful. She exchanged looks with Adam and he gave her a gentle smile.  
They had almost made it.  
With their hope renewed, the caravan marched steadily and within two more hours they reached the shore. There were many other refugees, apparently from several countries, all aiming for Eden.  
Eve and her group joined them, waiting to go aboard the two large boats that were ferrying the refugees across the sea and towards the country they had set their hopes on.  
Adam sat down beside her and handed her and Caspar a bottle with fresh water. Eve took a sip and to her sore throat it tasted as wonderful as honey.  
“We’ve made it”, he said and patted Caspar’s back when he swallowed too quickly.  
“Right”, Eve muttered smiling.  
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”  
Eve turned around and saw Balthazar slipping through the crowd towards them. The old man scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly.  
“Well… Since we are probably going to part on the other shore, I wanted to thank you. It was a pleasure to travel with you.”  
“The pleasure is on us”, Adam replied and bowed his head gracefully.  
The old man laughed aloud at this gesture and took Adam’s hand instead. Eve and Caspar looked at each other and couldn’t help but grin too.  
“By the way”, Balthazar said hushed and pulled a small bottle out of his coat. “I have bought some booze from a guy over there. Do you want some?”  
He blinked conspiratorially.  
After a moment of surprise Adam laughed and replied: “No, thank you. But the gesture is welcome.”  
Balthazar slipped the bottle back in his coat and patted his shoulder friendly before he left.  
After maybe half an hour it was their turn to go aboard. They queued up and slowly walked up the ramp to the deck. When they were about to reach the upper end, they suddenly heard a loud shout.  
“Caspar! Caspar!”  
Eve looked around until she spotted a woman in the crowd who waved her hands wildly. Although worry was carved deep into her hollowed face, Eve could read utmost joy in it.  
Caspar’s mother.  
When the boy saw her, he started to shout as well.  
“Mom! Mom!”  
“Caspar!”  
Since they couldn’t just stop on the ramp, they went on and halted at the railing. Caspar waited restlessly next to her until his mother climbed the boat and rushed to him, clasping him to her.  
“Oh Caspar… I’ve been looking… everywhere for you”, she muttered between sobs. “I’m so glad…”  
“Mom, I missed you.”  
Eve was feeling deeply moved by this happy reunion and she sensed Adam was too. Although he hadn’t been their child, they had grown very fond of the boy.  
After he and his mother had finished their greeting, they all sat down in a corner and she and Adam told Caspar’s mother how they had found him and took him here in the hope to find her in Eden. The woman was overjoyed to hear her son hadn’t been alone and thanked them amid tears for taking care of him.  
Later, she and Adam stood at the railing and looked back at the wasteland they had crossed. Somewhere behind the horizon was their home, or what was left of it.  
“Do you regret it?” Adam asked softly.  
“You mean parting with him?”  
She took in a deep breath of the fresh sea air.  
“No, I don’t. I’m a bit sad, but I also feel glad for him. He can live together with his mother again.”  
Without a word Adam put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. Snuggled up like this they stood silently in the night, enjoying each other’s presence.  
After a while their heads bend closer and their lips touched in a kiss. 

* * *

Eve awoke with an echo of his warmth on her lips. She smiled and reached next to her, but her hand only touched the cold sheets.  
She opened her eyes and her smile faded.  
She was alone.  
There was nobody breathing by her side, nobody who’d wake up and blink sleepily at her, only being lured out of bed by the sound of the coffee machine.  
There was just empty space.  
Her heart tensed up painfully. She wished to feel the tender touch of his hand again, to hear the sound of his voice in the morning.  
Not this cruel silence she hated so much.  
But he was gone.  
Eve felt tears bubbling up in her eyes, falling down on her pillow and soaking it with their wetness. Lonely, she pulled the covers over her, curled up and gave into crying. 


	3. The Promised Land

Eventually the first lights appeared in the distance.  
Eve asked one of the boatmen if that was Eden. He replied these lights were just the port. To reach the outskirts of the capital it was another thirty kilometres.  
So they finally were here.  
In a few hours they’d reach Eden, the place they could live at in peace. She took a sniff of the fresh sea breeze, the air of freedom.  
When she turned around a young man in a wide cloak caught her attention. Unlike all the other refugees he wasn’t looking at the lights, but rather at the boat next to them. He said something to a small item in his hand, before putting it away.  
In the first moment she assumed he was part of the sailors and communicated with the other crew, but he didn’t wear the uniform the other boatmen did. The man reached for something underneath his cloak and turned to enter the interior of the boat.  
“Can I help you somehow?” Eve asked, walking over to him. He started and whirled around, his cloak fluttering at the sudden movement. For a brief moment Eve saw the thing in his hand and gasped involuntarily.  
“Who… Who are you?” she asked alarmed. “Why are you carrying a gun?”  
She had been louder than she thought and a few of the other passengers turned to them.  
“Answer me!” Eve demanded.  
The man glanced around hastily, but more and more people turned their attention to them. He flinched and raised the pistol, its muzzle pointing at Eve.  
With a shock she realised what was going to happen and tried to back away, tripping over her feet and falling towards the deck, so the fired bullet merely grazed her shoulder, before she hit the floor.  
She heard a loud splash as if something heavy had fallen into the sea, followed by a high-pitched scream. One moment later the whole deck was in panic, people chaotically running around, trying to get into safety. Someone almost stomped on her, but then Adam was by her side, pulling her to her feet.  
She heard more shots and a man tumbled backwards, his arm and chest covered with blood. Adam tried to pull her away, but in the mess of people they could barely move from the spot.  
Two boatmen appeared on the deck above them and started to fire at the man, but that only served to increase the confusion and panic.  
“Adam! Eve!”  
They looked up and saw Balthazar standing in a door, waving at them. They forced their way through to him and moved inside. Eve shrieked surprised when one of the boatmen came crashing down a ladder in front of them, a crimson stain on his white uniform.  
“Don’t stop!” Balthazar shouted from behind. “Move!”  
Then there was another shot.  
The old man froze, a surprised expression on his face, before he slumped against the wall.  
Behind him Eve saw a dark silhouette standing in the door. She backed away, tripped over the sailor’s body and fell. When she tried to push herself up, her fingers touched something longish.  
A flashlight, possibly unstuck from the dead man’s belt.  
Following a sudden impulse, she picked it up and pointed it at the silhouette.  
“Adam!” she shouted and turned it on.  
The man groaned and raised his hands to shield himself from the dazzling light. Then Adam slammed into him and both went down, the man’s gun flying out of their range. As they were struggling, Eve got up and knocked the flashlight as hard as she could down on the man’s head.  
His body grew limp instantly. Adam got to his feet and looked around for something they could tie him up with. Eve’s thoughts were racing. The man didn’t move anymore, if unconscious or dead, she couldn’t tell. But still, she had the feeling she forgot something.  
She and Adam looked at each other and suddenly it struck her.  
“Balthazar”, she muttered and both of them hurried to him.  
The old man was panting heavily, one hand clutching his chest, his back leaning against the wall.  
“Balthazar? Hang on there”, she said, her voice cracking with terror.  
She reached for his hand, squeezed it tightly, not wanting to acknowledge what she saw. The grey-haired man gave her a weak smile and pressed his hand to her chest.  
“Don’t cry for an old man like me, my dear”, he muttered. “I’ve had my share of happiness. Now go and find yours.”  
With that he closed his eyes and both his head and his hand slackened.  
“No! Balthazar! Balthazar!”  
Desperately she clasped his arm, not wanting to let go of him. She hoped for any sign of life, her mind denying the fact that he was dead.  
Adam’s arm went around her shoulder, stroking her comfortingly, but she saw the same pain and sadness on his face that she felt inside.  
They hadn’t known him for very long, but his friendly and cheerful attitude even in the long, draining hours through the wasteland had carved deeply into her memory. His merry laughter while he led the caravan. His anger when the leader of the mercenaries called them maggots. His mischievous smile when he teased her about her relationship with Adam.  
All of that was never going to happen again.  
Balthazar was dead. His blood was dripping from her hand that was still holding his. She lowered her head and cried silently, Adam holding her gently in his arm.  
Suddenly there was a loud noise and a shock wave made the whole boat vibrate.  
Adam and Eve jumped to their feet and ran out to the railing, seeing the other boat blazing in the dark night. There was another blast, tearing a large hole into its bow.  
A series of explosions shook the boat and a massive amount of water streamed into the hull. The first people began to jump off and swim over to them. Within ten minutes the boat sank completely with most of the passengers ending up in the water, climbing the ladders to the remaining boat.  
Eve had no idea how many people had died during the shootout or how many hadn’t been able to escape the sinking boat. She just wondered what in heaven’s name they had ended up in. 

* * *

As soon as the boat reached the shore, the passengers got off. They had only proceeded slowly as the boat had been cramped with much more people that it was meant to carry. Everyone was relieved when they had the chance to leave.  
The captain immediately called for an ambulance for those who had been wounded in the shootout. He was a young and unexperienced man who was visibly overwhelmed by the situation. Nevertheless he had thanked Adam and her for taking out the assailant and had requested them to be present at his interrogation, an offer that Eve accepted with pleasure.  
After he had taken care of the issues that needed immediate attention, they, along with four crewmen, came together on the bridge where they had brought the man, partly because he wouldn’t be able to escape easily, but also to protect him from possible acts of vengeance by the victims and their friends and families.  
One of the crewmen poured a bucket of water over his head and with a groan he came back to his senses. Confused he looked around, trying to figure out where he was. Then suddenly his eyes widened and he tried to jump to his feet, but failed due to the belts that were restraining his wrists.  
“Who… Who are you?” He snapped in panic. “And what do you want with me?”  
“My name is Melchior, captain of this boat. And what I want are answers.”  
The assailant’s gaze jumped around hastily, looking at the other people in the room, trying to find a way to escape, but eventually it turned back to the captain.  
“You want answers?” he asked with a high-pitched voice, his lips cracking a smirk. “Now this is funny! You and your kind are always so proud to have all the answers.”  
“Me and my kind?” Captain Melchior asked with a frown.  
The other man snorted and turned away his head.  
“I’m not telling you anything”, he muttered.  
Slowly, Melchior rose from his chair and a cold, merciless expression formed on his face.  
“You have killed two of my men”, he said menacingly, “as well as several refugees. I’m offering you a choice. You can either tell me what I want to know and go to prison or you can let me force you to give me my answers and end up on the bottom of the sea afterwards. What do you prefer?”  
The assailant’s face had grown pale at his words, no hint of his former defiance left in his eyes.  
“O-Okay”, he whispered hoarsely. “I’ll tell you what you want.”  
“Fine”, Melchior said with a satisfied smile and took a seat.  
“Why did you do this?”  
The man let out a brief laugh that made Eve seriously doubt his sanity.  
“You really want to know? Fine, I’ll tell you.”  
He leaned back in his chair and gazed confidently at the captain.  
“We want to preserve the paradise we’ve inherited from our forefathers. You and your government are leading us to our doom, that’s why we are forced to stop you.”  
Melchior hummed thoughtfully before he asked: “Are you from the Cherubim Movement?”  
“So finally you’ve figured it out, huh? Yes, we are going to rid ourselves from the stains you are causing and renew this paradise.”  
The man’s eyes were now staring wildly and there was saliva dribbling from the corner of his mouth. The sight roused utter disgust in Eve, but she couldn’t hold back anymore.  
“Can somebody tell me what this is about?” she asked the two men.  
Adam felt for her hand to calm her down.  
“The Cherubim Movement”, Melchior began, “is a group of radicals among our society. With the growing influx of refugees, many people are beginning to harbour resentments against foreigners. These people however…” He glared at the man. “…are obsessed with the idea to isolate ourselves from the world and cast out everything they feel doesn’t belong to us.”  
“So you mean”, Eve said, walking over to the assailant, until she loomed over his restrained figure. “You have done this because you don’t want any refugees to come here? Do you have any idea how many people you have murdered?”  
The man gave her a glare full of scorn and disgust.  
“Since you are standing here, not enough, I guess.”  
She punched his face so hard she could feel his nose break.  
The other people in the room stared at her, startled. She watched the blood streaming over his face, but it didn’t satisfy her. In fact, her fist was itching to beat him over and over again.  
“Do you have anything about the people you have killed?” she asked in a sinister tone.  
“Do you know about their homes, about their families and friends? Do you know anything about the terror of war they were fleeing?”  
Balthazar’s face appeared in her mind.  
“You don’t know anything. You are just rejecting all the things you don’t know about.”  
Without another glance at him she rushed out of the room, Adam following her carefully. 

* * *

“Eve?” Adam asked delicately.  
When she didn’t snap at him, he came closer and joined her at the railing, staring out at the dark sea.  
How many people may have died today and sunk to its bottom?  
“Eve, are you okay?”  
_What a ridiculous question_ , she thought with the turmoil of pain, anger and frustration raging inside her.  
“Don’t expect me to say I’m sorry, because I am not”, she said, trying to restrain the anger in her voice.  
Adam waited for a moment, perhaps thinking of a fitting reply.  
“I…” he began awkwardly. “I wouldn’t do that. After all I can’t forgive that guy either. I just… wanted to let you know that I’m here for you if you need me.”  
She blinked at him, sensing tears in her eyes again.  
“Oh, Adam”, she muttered, burying her head in his shoulder. “Just be here with me.” 

* * *

Someone knocked at the door.  
Eve didn’t bother to respond. After a while the person entered, closing the door behind them.  
“Eve?”  
That was Isaac’s voice.  
“What do you want?” she asked quietly. It must have been days since she had talked to anybody.  
“I… Umm… I have been pondering Adam’s disappearance.”  
_‘Pondering’_? she thought wryly. What was there to be pondered? Adam was gone.  
She felt her hand twitch angrily. Why did Isaac have to say that?  
His insensitivity made Eve wanting to throw him out.  
“Do you remember what Adam said during the experiment?” Isaac asked, not noticing her bad mood. “That he had jumped through time?”  
“What about it?” she replied.  
She was getting tired of his presence. Couldn’t he just… leave her alone?  
Alone with the emptiness Adam had left behind.  
“Well…” he continued. “I just couldn’t get this off my mind. That’s why I’ve made a theory. What if…”  
He stopped for a moment and Eve involuntarily felt her gaze being drawn to him.  
“What if Adam is still alive?”  
She stared blankly at his face, searching for a lack of sincerity. This was a joke, right? Something he came up with to cheer her.  
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.  
“I mean what we saw could be different from what really happened. When we lost control, maybe Adam got sucked into a different time. Unfortunately I don’t know enough to calculate the probability for that, but I cannot exclude it either.”  
A spark of hope flickered hesitantly in her chest, but Eve didn’t dare to cling to it. She didn’t want to feel that devastating pain when it failed her and she was once again lost to despair.  
“I’m sorry”, she muttered. “But I cannot believe in your confidence. Please go now.”  
Isaac gazed at her. He opened his mouth to bring up further arguments for his theory, but then he seemed to understand.  
“Excuse me”, he said, lowering his head. “I’m going to let you rest.”  
Quickly he opened the door and walked away, his footsteps dying out in the corridor.  
Eve knew what he had wanted to say.  
In the looks he gave her she could read the feelings he was hiding. She always had.  
Isaac had been a friend to her for a long time now. He was a scientist to the core, and yet, without Adam she didn’t feel whole anymore. It was like one half of her was missing. But she couldn’t just get her hopes up because of some wild theory.  
After a long while she felt a hint of excitement rising inside her. 


	4. Purpose

With Captain Melchior’s recommendation she and Adam got the chance to attend the famous university of Eden. Unlike most of the refugees who had little to live on, they were able to live in an environment that surpassed any scientist’s dreams.  
Although there was indeed a hostile atmosphere towards refugees, the city welcomed those who could contribute to its scientific and economic development and after the months they had lived under the shadow of war, it felt like a paradise.  
Back then Eve hadn’t noticed the falseness of this illusion. She only saw the limitless possibilities that opened up to them. Maybe Adam had sensed something, but whether he had simply not told her about this, or it was something she only imagined, she couldn’t tell.  
However she did notice there was something off about him. He was more thoughtful and reserved and there were times when he was just lying on the couch of their small flat and stared up at the ceiling for hours.  
When she decided to ask him about this, he gave her a look she couldn’t read.  
“Why are we here, Eve?” he said then, his voice somewhat distant.  
“Why are you asking that? We came here to find a place where we wouldn’t have to live in fear anymore.”  
Tenderly she stroked over his curly hair and he smiled faintly.  
“Yes, but that wasn’t what I meant.”  
He gazed out of the window, over the modern streets and buildings of Eden, to the far blue shimmer of the sea.  
“What I mean is… Why are we here, in this world?”  
Eve was so surprised by the question she couldn’t think of an answer.  
“Currently this world is falling apart”, Adam continued. “Whether through discrimination or military conflict. I believe – no – I _want_ to believe that we have a purpose. Something that we are meant to achieve. And I think we cannot do that while we are fighting each other like this.”  
“So… you want to find a way to end the conflicts among humans?” Eve mused after a while.  
Adam smiled brightly as if she had just given him the solution to a tough and troublesome question.  
“Yes, I guess that is it.” 

* * *

Cheerful applause swept over her as she descended the stairs from the podium. She felt the acknowledging glances of her fellow scientists resting on her, as they assailed her from everywhere. She had to shake dozens of hands and accept countless congratulations before she was able to make her way back to Adam.  
He bent close to her ear and said: “That was a great presentation, Eve.”  
She gave him an amused smile.  
“It was our research. You could’ve held this presentation as well as I did.”  
“Ah… I’m not so sure about that.”  
Adam chuckled and scratched the back of his head.  
Eve’s smile softened and she shook her head in resignation, before turning her attention to the stage where the next speaker was about to begin.  
From the corner of her eye she noticed someone leaving the room. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly had a bad feeling.  
“Excuse me”, she muttered to Adam and followed the person.  
Stepping into the corridor, she looked left and right, until she saw a brown ponytail disappear around the corner.  
“Umm… Excuse me?” she shouted and ran after the person, almost bumping into them when she whirled around the corner.  
The young woman looked at her with surprise and Eve noticed the traces of tears on her cheek.  
“Y-Y-Yes?” the woman stammered insecure.  
Eve examined her face, the somewhat foreign features and the fair skin, and tried to think of how to approach her.  
“You… What is your name?”  
“Sarah”, the woman answered weakly.  
“Sarah”, Eve repeated. “Do you want to tell me what is troubling you?”  
The woman’s eyes widened for a moment, then she tried to turn away, clasping a folder of documents to her chest.  
“You… You needn’t concern yourself with that”, she muttered and Eve saw a tiny tear glisten in her eye.  
Seeing this woman like this was like a dagger in her heart. She had seen many women who had this look. The look of someone who was deeply suffering.  
“I am not going to force you, if you don’t want to talk about it. But sometimes talking with someone about your problems can help.”  
Sarah was speechless.  
“Why… Why do you even care about me?” she asked.  
Eve gave her a warm smile.  
“Do I need a reason to care about somebody? We are both scientist, right?”  
Sarah’s expression lit up for a moment, then a shadow of sadness crept over her face.  
“I used to believe that too”, she muttered distantly.  
With a deep sigh she handed Eve the folder she was holding.  
“This is a new theory I developed. I am sure it would contribute to our research, but my group leader rejected it. I don’t think he even read it.”  
Eve gave her a sympathetic look. “I see. But why do you think this has something to do with you?”  
“Be-Because I am not from here”, Sarah stammered. “My home was destroyed in the war and I came to this country as a refugee.”  
She glanced down at her hands, her shoulders trembling slightly.  
“This is the fifth time my ideas have been turned down. I’m getting the feeling I’m just not recognised because I’m a foreigner.”  
“Well, of course”, a new voice said.  
Eve turned to the young man who was standing in a doorway, drying his hands with a towel. With a sudden feeling of embarrassment she noticed they had been standing in front of the men’s toilet.  
“It’s only natural people are treated differently, depending on where they come from”, he continued, rising one hand to adjust his glasses.  
“Those who are born in the slums get fewer chances than the children of a rich family. That’s just the way of life.”  
Sarah looked like she was about to cry.  
“Hey, you! Can’t you show a little more sensitivity?” Eve asked the man, a touch of anger slipping into her voice.  
She had seen him a few times. His name was Isaac if she recalled correctly.  
“Huh? Why? If she was born into a war zone, then that was unfortunate for her, but…”  
“Shut up!”  
Eve whirled around and saw Adam standing in the corridor behind her, his fists shaking with ire.  
“Adam?”  
“You don’t have the slightest idea what she’s been through.”  
“But… But this is a matter of fact”, Isaac replied, adjusting his glasses in irritation.  
“So what”, Adam snapped coldly and approached him until they stood face to face.  
“I assume you haven’t set a foot into a war zone in your whole life, so don’t speak of things you have no idea of.”  
The man backed away, unsettled by Adam’s angry glare.  
“Y-Yes. I get it”, he muttered and turned to Sarah. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”  
“N-No. It’s okay”, the woman answered shyly.  
Eve could sense a wave of relief coming from her and smiled, suddenly feeling lighter herself.  
Thanks to Adam.  
“By the way”, she began and shot him a strict glare. “Since when do you eavesdrop on people?”  
He laughed caught out and fumbled for an excuse.  
“Err… You see… I didn’t mean to. I… was just worried, so I went looking for you.”  
“Liar”, she said, albeit in a friendly tone. Then she turned to Sarah.  
“Would you mind if I take a look at your theory? Maybe I could tell you where you have to improve.”  
The brunette woman gazed at her as if she had just handed her a birthday present.  
“You would do that?” she whispered astonished.  
Eve nodded and a bright smile appeared on Sarah’s face.  
“Of course! I would be honoured.”  
She bid them farewell and walked away, elated.  
“We should go back too”, Eve said to Adam, dragging him back towards the presentation.  
As she walked away, she could sense Isaac’s confused gaze lingering on them. 


	5. The Presence of God

“Adam…  
That day I began to understand what you meant. The purpose of mankind… You gave up everything for it.”  
A single tear of wistfulness ran over her cheek.  
“But to me, you are more important than anything else.”  
She opened the door and entered the laboratory, directing her steps straight to the pedestal in the back.  
Isaac’s words had stayed within her mind. In fact, she could even hear them now.  
_What if Adam is still alive? When we lost control, maybe he got sucked into a different time._  
She had tried to shield herself from these words, had tried to banish them from her mind, haunted by the fear of believing only to be disappointed in the end.  
But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.  
If there was the slightest chance, she had to grasp it. And if Isaac’s theory was correct, this was the only place she would get any answer. Coldly she gazed down at the card resting on the pedestal.  
_The source of everything._  
Their accursed experiment. The energy they had believed would lead mankind to peace. It alone held all the answers.  
Slowly she reached out, her fingers closing around the edged shape. She felt its pulse running through her arm, the steady, vibrant rhythm of life.  
“Hey, you”, she muttered. “Can you hear me?”  
Although it felt weird to talk when nobody was actually there, the feelings burning inside her didn’t allow her to stop.  
“If you can hear me, then answer me! I know that you are alive, so tell me… Tell me what I need to know!”  
She waited, but the little thing didn’t respond, its silence mocking her frustration and anger.  
“Be… Because of you, Adam was driven to conduct this experiment. You have taken everything from me. Do you think you have a right to deny me these answers?!”  
A teardrop fell on her shaking hand.  
“Do you think you have a right to stay silent?!”  
She noticed her breath was going heavy. She had come to the verge of crying.  
“Please”, she whispered faintly. “I only have this one wish.”  
She glanced down, but the card remained as unmoved and silent as before.  
Limply Eve straightened up, her face a mask of indifference, trying to hide away the disappointment and pain inside her.  
It had happened.  
She had put her hope in Isaac’s words and now the bitterness of reality caught her again.  
She dropped the card on the pedestal and turned to leave, her steps slow and heavy, weighed down by the feeling of having died already.  
HUMAN  
Eve froze on the spot, her eyes widened at the scenery that stretched in front of her.  
She wasn’t in the laboratory anymore. Instead there was burningly white sand underneath her feet, enclosed by a dark shimmering ocean that reached to the horizon. The sky was sparkling with countless stars, illuminated by two large moons, hovering above her.  
In front of her there was a huge formation, she could not discern whether of rock or wood, twisting upwards, until being crowned by a mushroom-like broadening, its top covered by trees, long, thick vines hanging down from its edges and winding around its foot.  
But overshadowing this spectacle of nature was…  
HUMAN WHO HAS CALLED OUT TO ME  
Rigid with fear, Eve turned around, her eyes feasting on a truly overwhelming sight, magnificent and terrifying at the same time.  
A gigantic serpentine figure, obscured by clouds of haze, apparently bound to some sort of rock, loomed above her. Within the mist, two burning eyes that seemed to pierce her very existence with their gaze.  
“Who… Who are you?” she asked, too shocked to think of anything but the thing in front of her.  
I AM A BEING THAT FAR TRANSCENDS THE IMAGINATION OF YOUR PETTY RACE, a voice of inconceivable vastness said and the being’s eyes flashed eerily.  
“You are the being we discovered behind the gate”, she muttered wanly. “So Adam was right when he said this energy had a will of its own.”  
INDEED. AND WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO COMPREHEND EVEN A FRACTION OF MY POWER, HE ATTEMPTED TO DRAW ON IT.  
Eve gasped.  
“Does that mean you have punished Adam for meddling with your power?”  
NO, the being answered. WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT HUMAN, HAPPENED OUT OF HIS OWN WILL.  
Eve breathed heavily. She barely dared to ask the question that was burning on her soul.  
“Is Adam…”  
She gulped. “Is he still alive?”  
The being seemed to examine her for a long while before it answered.  
YES.  
Eve suddenly felt dizzy when her heart made a leap.  
“Can you tell me where he is?”  
The being remained silent and her sudden relief faded.  
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT, it answered.  
WHEN HE DISAPPEARED, HE TOOK MOST OF MY POWERS WITH HIM.  
She hesitated in shock. Adam had taken away this thing’s power? Then could that have been the calamity he had tried to prevent? Could she… could she really risk unleashing it again?  
“How can I get to him?” she asked finally.  
Although she couldn’t read much from the being’s appearance, she thought she saw a spark of interest in its eyes.  
I CAN GRANT YOU THE POWER TO CROSS TIME AND SPACE. YOU MAY SEARCH FOR HIM FOR HOW LONG IT MAY NEED.  
Eve’s thoughts were racing in her head.  
Adam. The thing. The calamity. A way to find him. The thing. Adam.  
“I need to think about your offer”, she muttered. “I’m going to tell you my answer next time.”  
Now it almost appeared as if the thing was smiling in amusement.  
I ALREADY KNOW YOUR ANSWER. I CAN SEE TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SOUL.  
Eve turned around and waded into the dark ocean.  
WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME GOAL, HUMAN, the voice called behind her.  
YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR LOVER AGAIN AND I WANT TO RECLAIM WHAT HE TOOK FROM ME.  
When the water rose above her head, she snapped to her senses.  
She was standing in the laboratory, the bright artificial lights forming a sharp contrast to the nightly star- and moonlight she had been in. Her knees gave way beneath her and she collapsed, her body shaking from the experience she just made.  
This being had been frightening and overwhelming, although it said that its power was incomplete. But it had given her the answer she had yearned for.  
There was a way to see Adam again.  
But to what price, she wondered. 

* * *

Someone gently called her name.  
She… She knew that voice.  
“Adam?”  
With great effort she opened her eyes. His smiling face was hovering above her.  
“Eve? Eve?!”  
No, that wasn’t Adam.  
“Isaac?” she asked weakly.  
Yes. Slowly his contours began to form above her, a worried look in his eyes.  
“Eve… Are you alright? I heard you groan from outside.”  
She gave him a faint smile. His caring attitude made her heart grow warm, despite the pain she was feeling.  
“Do not worry”, she muttered. “It was only a dream.”  
She could see in his eyes that he didn’t believe her, but he was too kind to question her any further.  
“I’ll leave you alone then”, Isaac said, lowering his head and walking out of her room.  
Eve closed her eyes and tried to recall what she had been dreaming of.  
There… There was a city… Its buildings were glistening in the sunlight. Countless people walking around in the street, among rows of cars. Important conferences in the skyscrapers, everyday chatter in the coffee shops, people who were walking their dogs in the park, little children playing in the schoolyard, a drunken man sleeping on a bench…  
Then something changed. At first she thought there was something wrong with her eyes, because the city seemed to blur a little, but when the first building collapsed, Eve realised the whole city was shaking in a huge earthquake. Rifts appeared in the streets and even strong-looking structures collapsed, burying thousands in the rubble.  
Eve sensed surprise, shock and horror coming from the people who were still alive, unlike the thousands whose voices simply disappeared, buried under tons of debris. She heard screams of agony, of dismay, saw streams of bloods, on the windows of cars that had crashed, or dripping from rubble, telling of the people who got crushed beneath it.  
She saw corpses lying in the street and others who were still alive, horrified and unable to comprehend.  
Eve had to restrain herself from collapsing to her knees at the terrible sight, at the despair she felt.  
Suddenly it grew dark.  
She looked up at the sky and had barely time to see countless meteors hailing down, before the first one struck the earth, sending a huge blast throughout the city.  
More and more rocks smashed into the ground, turning the atmosphere of shock and disbelief into one of pure dread.  
Each impact was followed by a wave of death. Eve could feel the anguish and pain around her, countless lives flickering for a last time before vanishing forever, but she was powerless against this.  
All she could do was curl up into a ball, trying to block out their screams, trying to ignore the tears of despair that were streaming over her face.  
She had no idea how long it continued, but when she looked up, the ground didn’t shake anymore.  
It was so quiet.  
She couldn’t hear a single sound.  
Slow and carefully, Eve got to her feet and stared at the landscape in front of her. What had been a vibrant and lively city before was now but a wasteland of torn concrete and piles of debris, the rubble of former buildings scattered across the ground.  
There was nothing alive at this place.  
No humans. No animals. Nothing.  
Suddenly she heard footsteps and noticed someone walking across the ruins, looking at the devastation around. Then he stopped and turned towards her.  
Eve gasped and involuntarily took a step back.  
Adam’s gaze was not one of anger or despair, but one of deep sadness. 


	6. The Flaming Sword

“Eve! Try to increase the voltage!”  
“It’s already running at maximum!” Eve shouted over the loud thrum of the device.  
She glanced over to Adam who was standing on the other side of the room, hastily pushing some of the controllers in front of him. Suddenly a terrible screech shrilled and she had to cover her ears in pain.  
After a few seconds there was a flash of sparks and the noise declined, leaving a ringing silence behind, interrupted only by Adam’s swearing.  
“I don’t understand”, he muttered over and over again as he walked around the device, inspecting the cable that had blown.  
“We have calculated everything correctly!” he exclaimed frustrated. “Why does it still not work?”  
Eve looked at the data they had collected, but it didn’t contribute to her mood getting any better.  
She sighed.  
For months they were working on the virtual space, but they didn’t make any progress. The data they attained didn’t match their calculations and they were running out of ideas.  
“Maybe we have simply reached the limit”, she said to Adam as she handed him a cup of coffee.  
“No, I refuse to believe that”, he replied calmly. “This experiment could mark the beginning of a new era for mankind. I’m sure of it.”  
“Adam”, she said and gently placed a hand on his. “I want this experiment to be a success as much as you do. But sometimes, reality doesn’t correspond to our wishes.”  
“That may be.”  
Adam glanced down at his cup, gazing into a world beyond the black surface.  
“But we have poured our souls into this research. I cannot give up so easily.”  
For a while she just looked at him, unable to find any words for him, and tried to see what was going on in his head.  
“Another failure?”  
Both Eve and Adam turned to the young man standing in the door.  
“Isaac?” Eve asked confused. “What are you doing here?”  
The man seemed unsure what to reply and nervously shifted from one foot to the other, before he took out a few sheets of paper.  
“I have read about your research and the assumptions you have made. I… I think I found the mistake in your considerations.”  
He put the sheets on the table in front of them and she and Adam browsed through the pages that were scribbled over and over with equations.  
“Yes, I didn’t think of this”, Adam mumbled after a while. “This… This could work. We’d have to reconstruct the device, but that should be possible.”  
While he still brooded over the papers, Eve looked up to the young man.  
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.  
She immediately noticed this was an uncomfortable question to him as he averted his eyes and seemed to search for the right words.  
“I… I am… You see…” he began before stopping and taking a deep breath.  
“I have been watching you for a while now. What you said to me last time has made me think about myself and about the world.”  
Isaac hesitated for a moment, as if what he wanted to say was difficult for him.  
“I thought about who I was and what I achieved until now and… and then I looked at you and… You simply amaze me. The passion and belief you have for science is one that I never knew. And… that’s why…”  
Insecure he scratched his cheek before directing his gaze at them.  
“I’d like to help with your research if you allow me to.”  
Eve exchanged a surprised glance with Adam.  
She hadn’t taken much notice of Isaac before and to hear such flattering words from him was something she hadn’t expected. But the look he gave them told Eve that he was being serious with them. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.  
“If you really want to”, she said, giving him a friendly smile, “we’d be more than happy to work with you from now on.”  
She turned to Adam who nodded consenting.  
“Of course”, he said and reached out his hand.  
“You’ll be welcome to join us.”  
Isaac hesitated for a moment, but then he took Adams hand and a relieved smile played around his lips. 

* * *

In the evening they went up to the rooftop to gaze at the star-studded sky. Eve couldn’t remember when she had last seen something this beautiful.  
She knew Adam had wanted to give her a treat, but she also sensed his absent-mindedness.  
“Do you think it will work?” she asked him carefully.  
He needed a moment to notice her question.  
“What?”  
She gave him a resigned look.  
“You’ve been pondering over the experiment, right?”  
Adam let out a self-conscious laugh, but his face quickly turned serious again.  
“Yes, I believe it will”, he said and his gaze drifted into the distance. “It may take some time, but I think it will work out. And then… we may be one step closer to finding it.”  
Eve examined him for a while. His dedication was admiring and inspiring her at the same time, but…  
She leaned forward and tenderly kissed his cheek.  
“Oh, Adam… Why don’t you let the world be for a moment and focus on yourself instead?”  
His eyes turned to her, showing a hint of confusion. Then he smiled softly and she felt his love washing over her, leaving a tingling sensation on her skin.  
“Of course. You are right.”  
Gently he pulled his arms around her, resting his forehead against hers, his words a faint whisper that only she could hear. 

* * *

She remembered them even now as she gazed up at the stars. They weren’t at the same positions as they were back then, but their beauty hadn’t waned.  
Eve closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh smell of the nightly air in her nose.  
Adam…  
She missed him. More than she could ever describe. But the only way to get him back might lead to a catastrophe beyond comprehension. Could she really place her own feelings above those of everyone else?  
And if she refused the being’s offering, would she be able to live on with the burden of her longing? In the knowledge that she had maybe rejected the only way of helping him?  
Eve was still pondering these questions when Isaac found her. Without a word he stepped to her and put a warm coat around her shoulders. She glanced at him, thankful for his care, but she could see only sadness in his gaze.  
He was worrying about her. Maybe… Maybe she should tell him about her conversation with the being. But how was he going to react?  
“Isaac…”  
Suddenly she stopped as she smelled a rough scent, something burnt and ashen carried to her by the night-wind. She glanced around, witnessing a sight that made her blood run cold.  
There was a huge fire raging down in the city, but more appalling was that it had the shape of a cross or a sword, burning fiery red throughout the night.  
She needed a few seconds before she could tell in which part of the city it was blazing, but then she understood instantly.  
The refugee accommodations!  
The flaming sword – The symbol of the Cherubim Movement!  
She bolted to the staircase, Isaac calling out behind her, but she ignored him, running down the steps, until she almost crashed into the elevator.  
Hastily she pushed the button for the ground floor, waited impatiently as the door closed excruciatingly slowly.  
She felt her heart thumping terribly in her chest while she approached the ground, jumped out as soon as the door opened and ran into the streets, her mind screaming with fear and worry.  
After a while she noticed a red glow in front of her. She bolted around a corner and saw the burning houses merely hundred metres in front of her.  
A jab of anger shot through her when she approached the crowd that was gawping idly without attempting to extinguish the fire or go in to help people who still might be caught inside.  
Eve pushed her way through and wanted to run into the next building when someone caught her hand and stopped her.  
“Don’t go in there!” a woman said urgently to her, her voice cracking with terror. “You’ll get yourself killed.”  
“Let go of me!” Eve demanded. “I… I have to…”  
She closed her eyes, tried to blink away the tears. These people… Why did they worry about her, but not about the humans that might be struggling for their lives right now?  
“Let… Let me go.”  
“Eve!”  
Eve froze at the shout, saw a short figure appear in the entrance of one of the houses. Their coat was on fire and they were staggering down the small steps.  
Was that…?  
Something cracked and Eve watched in horror as part of the upper wall gave way and a flaming joist came crashing down, burying the figure under its weight.  
The others were too shocked to restrain her anymore and she bolted forwards, kneeling down beside the figure. The hood they had been wearing had come off, revealing Caspar’s face, half covered with blood where the joist had hit him.  
His… His eyes were staring blankly. Without a hint of life.  
Another human who had died so young.  
She couldn’t find any words. There was nothing but emptiness inside her as she watched his body being devoured by flames.  
“It was their own fault”, she heard someone say behind her.  
Slowly she got to her feet and turned around.  
“They should have stayed in their own country. Then this wouldn’t have happened.”  
The man who was speaking didn’t notice her as she approached him grimly.  
She wanted to inflict pain on him. The same pain that Caspar had felt before he died, the same pain that Balthazar had felt before he died. She wanted him to burn, scream in pain before her, beg her for forgiveness.  
But she wouldn’t forgive him. She would see him writhe in pain and then she would ask him to repeat his words.  
She felt overwhelming hatred running through her veins as she stepped in front of the man and slammed her fist into his face.  
He was lying on the ground, holding his face in pain, gazing in shock at her sinister figure that was looming above him, the hellish fire blazing up behind her. She was about to hit him again, when something made her stop.  
_What was the point?_ she questioned herself.  
Even if she made this man realise, there’d still be dozens, hundreds, thousands maybe who still thought the same way.  
They had murdered them.  
Balthazar, Caspar, the other refugees who’d die tonight. Those who died on the journey here.  
They had murdered all of them.  
She ignored the man and walked away, the crowd parting in front of her, everyone staring at her like she would kill anyone who’d dare to say a single word.  
With slow, sluggish steps she disappeared into the dark streets, letting the fire rage on behind her. It was pale in comparison to the bitterness that filled her heart.  
“Adam…” she whispered faintly. “This world is already dying.” 


	7. Fall

As Eve walked back through the nightly alleys, entered the brightly lit lobby and climbed the long stairs up to the laboratory, she tried to untangle the mess of emotions inside her.  
Pain about Caspar’s death.  
Loathing about the people of this city and their outrageous falseness.  
Anger about her own inability to help anyone.  
Grief about the thousands who lost their lives every day.  
Sorrow about humans’ refusal to learn, to see.  
But most of all, insatiable longing. For the person she had loved with all her heart.  
“Adam… I am sorry. But I don’t think we will ever be able to find this ‘purpose’ you’ve been looking for.”  
Mankind was already walking down the path to their demise. There was no point in trying to stop them. It was only a matter of time until they would wipe out themselves.  
Time…  
An ironic smile curved her lips as she noticed that was the only thing that was separating Adam and her. A barrier that had been thought to be insurmountable, but now it appeared so ridiculously fragile to her.  
Eve stopped when she heard a quiet voice coming out of a room on the corridor she was walking down.  
“It seems I have been wrong. When you disappeared, I thought it would be my chance, but… but seeing her this way is much worse. Oh Adam, what am I supposed to do?”  
Her eyes widened for a moment when she realised it was Isaac who was speaking. This regret and downheartedness in his voice didn’t fit to the lively and caring person she knew.  
“It appears I haven’t been the only one who suffered”, she muttered to herself as she continued, until she finally reached the laboratory.  
She pressed the button to open the door and entered, walking over to the pedestal as the lights hesitantly came to life. She reached for the card, picking it up and one moment later she was standing on that same white beach on the shore of the black ocean that she’d been before.  
She turned to the vast, terrible being whose sheer presence made the air crackle with power, but that didn’t affect her anymore.  
YOU HAVE COME, the being said with a voice that could effortlessly sound throughout infinity.  
Eve smiled at the obvious remark, but she couldn’t banish the sadness from her gaze.  
“You told me you wanted to regain the power that Adam stole from you. If you help me find him, I’ll be more than glad to give it to you.”  
She felt a hint of satisfaction in the being’s expression as it leaned closer.  
VERY WELL, it said and Eve began to walk towards its huge figure. A tear of regret appeared in her eye, ran down her cheek and finally fell to the ground, seeping quickly into the white sand. 

_Adam… If the world is going to end, I want to be at your side when it does._

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it.  
> Thank you very much to everyone who stayed with me throughout the story. I know the manga characters are not that well-known, but I feel they have a depth that most anime characters are lacking.  
> If you haven’t read the manga yet, I would definitely recommend you to do it. It is certainly an experience. 
> 
> Goodbye and have a nice holiday!


End file.
